Kenton County CES

Title:

4-H Family and Consumer Sciences

MAP:

4-H Family and Consumer Sciences

Agents Involved:

Averbeck

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum

Situation:

How we live life is ever-changing but learning basic life skills is still as important as ever. Learning to practice healthy habits, select clothing to emphasize one’s best appearance, create and live within a budget, prepare nutritious meals safely, nurture children, create a safe and pleasant home environment, practice common courtesies, and form relationships with others—all of these skills are basic to everyday life. Many schools no longer include family and consumer sciences classes in the curriculum. Reality is that today’s youth and adults are busier than ever. Many of these basic life skills are not consistently taught to youth at home or at school. 4-H family and consumer sciences projects equip youth with these skills. As with any other Kentucky 4-H Core Curriculum area, when it comes to development of life skills, a strong case can be made for the need to go beyond mere transfer of knowledge to giving youth the opportunity for a variety of supportive, related learning experiences to significantly increase the program’s influence. 4-H often offers basic learning activities on a topic of interest to youth but the addition of activities which support that interest (such as fair exhibits, related subject matter workshops or day camps, field trips, and decision-making judging contests) significantly increase the development of life skills in youth.
In a study by Olson, Croymans and Ji (2014), 4-H'ers reported that participating in 1 or 2 educational opportunities influenced the development of critical thinking and decision-making skills, and participating in 6 to 8 opportunities significantly increased the program’s influence by adding development of life skills in leadership, planning/organization, wise use of resources, useful/marketable skills and accepting differences. While many FCS skills can be learned through self-directed projects or school enrichment, it’s beneficial for youth to have the added experience and guidance of a trusted adult and the opportunity to form relationships with caring mentors. For many adults, long-term volunteering is not always possible but shorter-term volunteer roles create doable opportunities for more people to tuck volunteering into busy schedules. Special interest clubs and groups that meet for a few weeks or months broaden the possibilities. The volunteer efforts of multiple adults may be required to take the 4-H experience from club meetings alone to also include exhibits, field trips and more.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Youth will:
• Be responsible and contributing individuals and family members.
• Gain and maintain employment through life skill development.
• Contribute to a safe, pleasant and productive home and family.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Youth will:
• Utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations
• Project a positive image and self-confidence
• Practice responsible consumer and financial decision-making
• Practice healthy eating choices
• Make choices that lead to responsible and beneficial results
• Adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future

Initial Outcomes:

Youth will:
• Gain knowledge and develop skills in Family & Consumer Sciences projects and
programs
• Understand the decision-making process
• Gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action
• Learn to read and follow instructions
Babysitting:
• Youth will learn appropriate guidance techniques.
• Youth will become aware of responsible job behavior like being on time,
reporting to parents, and following directions.
• Youth will have knowledge of basic first aid and safety and accident
prevention techniques.
• Youth will understand how ages and stages of child development relate to
appropriate play activities and toys.
Sewing:
• Participants will learn the proper techniques for cutting out patterns,
stitching seams, finishing edges, pressing and proper sequence for item
completion.
• Youth will learn to operate a sewing machine and learn sewing terminology.
Consumer and Financial Education:
• Youth will learn financial management techniques and consumer decision-
making skills.
• Youth will realize the importance of education and making smart financial
choices for their future.
• Youth will learn economic concepts such as scarcity, opportunity cost,
competition and others.

Evaluation:

Outcome: Youth will attend all babysitting classes and complete a pre-test and a post-test.

Indicator: Number of certificates of completion distributed to youth resulting from six or more hours of child care/babysitting training that includes the following: Appropriate guidance techniques, age appropriate toys and activities, responsible job behaviors and safety and basic first-aid practices. Six-month follow up: Number of skills the participants have used since the babysitting class.

Method: Written post-test, self-reports on surveys and telephone interview.

Timeline: End of session

Outcome: Participants will complete the class project. (Youth will participate in the Fashion Revue, County Fair and/or the Skillathon Contest.)

Indicator: Class project will be of an acceptable standard.

Method: Self-report, observation, and 4-H record books.

Timeline: End of series of classes, county and state fairs.

Long-term Outcome:

Indicator: Youth will be successful money managers as evidenced by working and living independently.

Method: Self-report, interview

Timeline: Young adulthood

Intermediate Outcome.

Indicator: Youth will save money for future purchases.

Method: Self-report, interview.

Initial Outcome:

Indicator: Youth will score higher on the post-test than on the pre-test of economic terms

Method: Pre- and post-test

Timeline: End of session

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Youth at least twelve years of age who are interested in child care/babysitting may participate.

Project or Activity: 4-H Fun and 4 Profit

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Fun and 4 Profit

Inputs: 4-H Agent, volunteers.

County budget will provide support for the required materials.

Kentucky childcare/babysitting curriculum will be utilized.

Date: Summer 2017

Audience: Youth Age 13 - 18

Project or Activity: “Be the E” 4-H project club

Content or Curriculum: 4-H CCS Curriculum Be the E, UK Curriculum “Building Healthy, Wealthy Futures”

Inputs: Kenton County 4-H Extension Agent, 4-H Volunteers

Date: Monthly 2017-2018

Audience: Fifth Grade Youth

Project or Activity: Consumer Savvy

Content or Curriculum: Consumer Savvy

Inputs: Kenton County 4-H Extension Agent, 4-H Assistants

Dates: Monthly during the school Year Aug 2017 to May 2018.

Audience: Sixth Grade Youth

Project or Activity: Spend, Save or Share

Content or Curriculum: Consumer Savvy

Inputs: 4-H Agent, 4-H Program Assistants

Dates: Monthly during the School year Aug 2017 to 2018

Audience: Fifth Grade Youth

NEW Content or Curriculum: 4-H Money Sense, Agent developed

Inputs: Kenton County Extension 4-H Agent, 4-H Assistants

Dates: Monthly during the school year Aug 2017 to May 2018

Activity: Junior Unit II, III, IV, V and VI Sewing Classes

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Sewing Project

Inputs: *Inputs listed below

Date: March/April 2018

Activity: Senior Units Sewing Classes

Content: 4-H Sewing Project

Inputs: *Inputs listed below

Date: Spring 2018

Activity: 4-H Quilt Camp

Content: Quilting patterns and techniques from 4-H Needlework Project Manual

Inputs: *Inputs listed below

Date: June 2018

Activity: Bring A Buddy Unit 1 Sewing
Content: 4-H Sewing project
Inputs: *Inputs listed below
Date: January, February, March 2018

Activity: Non-clothing sewing camp
Content: 4-H and instructor developed curriculum
Inputs: *Inputs listed below
Date: June 2018

Activity: Sewing Skillathon
Content or Curriculum: KY curriculum sewing skills
Inputs: *Inputs listed below
Date: July 2018

*Inputs:
4-H Agent and Master Clothing Volunteers will plan sewing sessions. Teaching assistance will be provided by the Master Clothing volunteers and other volunteer leaders. Program funds will support the classes in addition to any financial contributions made by participants.

Success Stories